The present invention relates to a grounding plate for a connector device which can be used for a memory card or an I/O card to be connected to a mother board.
As the size reduction in a computer device is promoted, demand has arisen for decreasing the space a connector device occupies. FIG. 13 shows a prior art design having a connector device 5 connected to a mother board 2 through a circuit board adapter 51 and a header connector 21. While achieving a reduction in occupied space when compared to a connector device directly connected to a mother board, the connector device 5 requires a stand-off 52 to be disposed thereunder, thereby increasing a total height of the assembly.
FIG. 14 shows another prior art design having a connector section 6 of a connector device equipped with a grounding plate 63 connected to a mother board 2 through a circuit board adapter 61 and a header connector 21. In this design, no stand-offs are used, but the grounding plate 63 and the pin contact arrays 611 arranged in the connector section 6 must be angled in order to be suitably connected to the circuit board adapter 61 to perform its intended purpose of grounding. The configuration of the grounding plate 63 and the circuit board adapter 61 unavoidably increases the occupied space of the connector device. This is also true for a design having all of the components mounted to a reverse side of the mother board 2, as shown in FIG. 15. The grounding plate 64 and therefore the pin contact arrays 611 are angled in order to be suitably connected to the circuit board adapter 62.
The present invention aims to provide an improved grounding plate for reducing the occupied space of a connector device.